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What is a reference management application?

This video from the University of York Library provides a good introduction to the features that all reference managers share, and why you might want to use one to manage your research:

Reference management software: how it works & what it does (4:47 min) by York Information Services (YouTube)

All three of the applications we cover in this module allow you to carry out the following functions:

  • Collect, store and manage research references
  • Interact with word processing software such as MS Word to insert citations into your documents and build bibliographies
  • Share your references to work collaboratively
  • Directly export references from library databases and discovery systems (e.g. LibrarySearch)
  • Sync your references between the desktop and online applications
  • Organise and store PDFs and other documents

It is worth noting that all the reference managers discussed in this module allow you to transfer your library of references from one manager to another. If you decide to use one and then change your mind, you can transfer your references to another.

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